Ask a group of students when they first used their school’s career services office, and you may hear that they stopped in sometime during their final semester. They may even say they made use of those services only during their last month. Even worse, many -- perhaps nearly half -- would say they never visited the office at all. It’s a worrying response that’s having an impact on students’ lives after graduation.

Addressing our country’s workforce development challenges is no longer a big business problem. In fact, small businesses may yet deliver the most innovative and important solutions for creating real pathways to opportunity in today’s economy.

As more companies commit to innovative circular economy and sustainability strategies and investments, there is an increased need to learn the best practices for successfully communicating these decisions externally.

When economists and editorialists speak in worried tones about America’s “skills gap,” they’re referring to the mounting number of jobs that require some degree of technical know-how and the relative dearth of qualified candidates to fill them.

At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we are engaging a wide variety of business, education, and quality assurance partners on how to build the missing piece of a new triad, one that can provide better quality signals from employers for both traditional higher education programs and non-traditional programs, such as apprenticeships. The goal? To ensure learners have the information they need on which programs deliver the most aligned career pathways, and employers know which programs they can turn to for reliable talent.

Looking across the country, there are a range of current and future challenges influencing America’s ability to remain competitive in the race for talent. Companies everywhere are growing and the most crucial factor influencing corporate decisions on where to locate or expand operations is the ability to recruit the best workforce. Therefore, regions with the most skilled workers will not only grow more organically but also have other companies, both national and international, opening facilities there.